Extremely odd toilet behavior

[das108]

Hi all:

I am hoping someone here can shed some light on this situation.

I have a third floor condo in DC. I have a mid-range Kohler toilet.

In the last month or so, my toilet has, for lack of a better term, thrown up periodically.

I've never been in the room when it happened, but no clear timing connection to having actually used it. When I've been home and heard it, it has happened a few times over the course of a few hours. Total I've heard it happen maybe 6 times.

It sounds like a really loud flushing, but it isn't like normal flushing. If the seat is up, there is considerable water on the seat and the floor around, which does not happen when flushing. Also it doesn't re-fill like it would if actually flushed. It seems like some pressure is coming up through the waste line and forcing the water in the bowl up and out.

The toilet has continued to work perfectly fine, but this behavior is really odd.

Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe a venting issue?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Mills]

Sounds to me like the vent is clogged above your toilet. Are you on the top floor? Have you asked the neighbors if they are experiencing the same problem? Could be a dead animal, leaves, trash, politician, etc.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Is there another toilet through the wall behind the toilet?

 

[das108]

Jim:
I am on the third of nine floors. My upstairs neighbor says no troubles. Haven't heard yet from the one just below.

Reach4:
nope -- it backs on to a living room of the unit next door.

 

[Jim Mills]

Is there another toilet through the wall behind the toilet?

Good question, and if so, has it recently been replaced? Could be a symptom of back to back toilets with a double san-tee at the stack.

 

[hj]

The third floor out of nine opens up a lot of possibilities, but a clogged vent is not one of them.

 

[Smooky]

Your problem could be postive air pressure. Check out these links:
Studor P.A.P.A. (Positive Air Pressure Attenuator)

http://vimeo.com/56723176

http://www.studor.net/papa-system

http://www.studor.net/building-drainage

http://www.studor.net/documents/0409-0005-092013 PAPA.pdf

 

[das108]

Downstairs neighbor reports a few episodes of loud gurgling, but doesn't think any actual splashing.

 

[Reach4]

Neighbor opening toilet with a "Kleer Drain" etc that shoots a charge of compressed gas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1gyyO9x_o0

 

[Jim Mills]

I still say it's a clogged vent. Could be a rat in there with a bad cold.

 

[das108]

Sounds like something to harass the building about . . .
I think there may also be water backing up through the drains in the laundry room onto the floor, which is on the other side of a hallway so probably is a separate stack.